PLOT: The planet is doomed, and humanity is f*cked. Those deemed worthy to embark on a journey to new earth only their interstellar ark is harboring a shapeshifting alien that may cause a problem or two.
LOWDOWN: Breach (WATCH IT HERE) tells the story of a stowaway on the arc that saves humanity, who also happens to be the admiral’s daughter’s lover. As romantic as that sounds, abord this ship is a creature that can infect anyone it touches, raise the dead, and may not be the only problem. Breach is the type of midgrade sci-fi you’d find in the straight-to-DVD era that is a mix of two famous films for the sake of convenience. Now, that isn’t a deal-breaker as these types of films have a certain charm and levity to them, but It does let you know what type of film you’re getting yourself into.
Breach is a decent flick with some good performances and some fun gore to kill some time on a cold winter night. Though the storyline is pretty pedestrian, I got to give the flick credit for getting a cast that seems to care beyond what the script asks for. There is a sense of comradery in this Alien clone. Rachel Nichols, who I’ve loved ever since she starred in the underrated P2, played Chambers, a tough, sarcastic, and well-worn doctor on the doomed arch. Her chemistry with Willis and Kearsley adds a lot of charm to an otherwise flimsy script, while Cody Kearsley comes out of left-field as the sweet good guy turned hero who knocked up the admiral’s daughter.
Cody Kearsley’s Noah and not Willis (as the cover would have you believe) carries this film. Though primarily a television actor, he holds this down pretty damn well, considering the seasoned talent around him. He’s not meant to be the tough guy, but the dude that needs to own up to a shitty situation, and Kearsley delivers the goods as the lead in Breach. We get a glorified cameo by Thomas Jane as the admiral, and he’s great in anything he’s in, especially when with an over-the-top performance, but we only get a couple of glimpses before he disappears for good. Amazing character actor Timothy V. Murphy can play bad-ass in his sleep and gives this a bit more prestige than it would have usually gotten. Bruce Willis shows up for a paycheck and provides a better performance than I was expecting. A legend in his own right, I love this man from the ’80s and ’90s, but that person has gone into the great unknown, and we’re left with a man so damn grumpy that he makes Lou Reed look like Tom Hanks.
My big issue is that the story is beyond familiar, and I couldn’t quite find myself fully engaged because of it. I appreciate the homage, but this was one “long been there, done that,” and though it ain’t a deal-breaker, Breach doesn’t go anywhere exciting or creative because of it. Though this is a cheaper film and some of the effects, especially the flamethrowers, were rough, I got to give credit to the make-up department for saving the day here. They keep this relatively even, and it’s evident that the little money had, was put into the right resources, which kept this from becoming a Best Buy bargain bin film.
GORE: The gore was decent, and we get a few cool and surprising shots. It wasn’t as bloody as I would have liked it, but Breach made things count when they needed to.
BOTTOM LINE: This is a film that fits into a very specific sub-genre that can work under the right mindset. It’s a cheap space-horror flick that’s wise enough to put some very likable and charismatic actors upfront. Rachel Nichols is fantastic as always, while Cody Kearsleymakes is perfect as the everyman lead. The action is fun, and the practical effects look good when used. There is a passion here, and everyone is trying to make this more than a paycheck flick, but the story is by far the weakest part. If you can go in with that top of mind, you’ll have a decent time. Since it’s cold outside, may I recommend a whiskey and cider to aid in that state of mind?
Breach lands in Theaters, On Demand, and Digital this Friday, December 18th, 2020.